Add NU config to allow user be able to turn off external completion

[Kangaxx-0]

Description

Fix #5772, add an env var to let user be able to turn off external completion, this will be handy for WSL2 specifically, or PATH has tons of dirs

Tests

Make sure you've run and fixed any issues with these commands:

• cargo fmt --all -- --check to check standard code formatting (cargo fmt --all applies these changes)
• cargo clippy --workspace --features=extra -- -D warnings -D clippy::unwrap_used -A clippy::needless_collect to check that you're using the standard code style
• cargo test --workspace --features=extra to check that all the tests pass

[elferherrera]

How come this is not a config value instead of an env variable?

[Kangaxx-0]

How come this is not a config value instead of an env variable?

You are correct, config makes more sense, I will make a quick update. Thank you for the comment

[sholderbach]

Suggested change

	enable_external_completion: true # set to false to prevent nushell looks into $env.PATH and find more suggestions, recommended for WSL users
	enable_external_completion: true # set to false to prevent nushell looking into $env.PATH to find more suggestions. `false` recommended for WSL users as this look up may be very slow.

[Kangaxx-0]

Thanks for the comment!

[fdncred]

As I commented in #5772, this is a known issue with WSL. I'm not sure we should add this when WSL is the problem and there is a known work-around already.

# in /etc/wsl.conf
[interop]
appendWindowsPath=false
# then run: `wsl --shutdown` and restart WSL

My work-around is to use the appendWindowsPath=false work-around and then manually add a couple paths to my WSL path for searching. For instance, I have to have the path to vscode in my path so that I can do code . and it just works.

I'm assuming that this just disables windows paths for completions but you can still call programs that are in your windows paths, like explorer and code, right?

[Kangaxx-0]

As I commented in #5772, this is a known issue with WSL. I'm not sure we should add this when WSL is the problem and there is a known work-around already.

# in /etc/wsl.conf
[interop]
appendWindowsPath=false
# then run: `wsl --shutdown` and restart WSL

My work-around is to use the appendWindowsPath=false work-around and then manually add a couple paths to my WSL path for searching. For instance, I have to have the path to vscode in my path so that I can do code . and it just works.

I'm assuming that this just disables windows paths for completions but you can still call programs that are in your windows paths, like explorer and code, right?

Yes, that's right, this is just for completions. Also, from end user's standpoint, I feel like we can offer user a better option to show less suggested completions (only from Nu). Say if I have dozens of DIRS in my env PATH, user might go through a long list to find the command

[fdncred]

I'm still on the fence about whether this is a good idea or not.

1. How would I enable completions for only certain windows folders? I guess you'd have to use the WSL solution (appendWindowsPaths = false) and enable_external_completion = true, and have certain folders in your nushell path that i want to complete from. Close to the same solution as without this change?
2. We've had people complain about nushell not completing items in the path. This might make that more difficult. At least the first question is, do you have enable_external_completion enabled or disabled, I guess.
3. A point for it is, I'm not sure how many people care about completing items in your path. I ususally don't use completions like that myself.

[Kangaxx-0]

I'm still on the fence about whether this is a good idea or not.

1. How would I enable completions for only certain windows folders? I guess you'd have to use the WSL solution (appendWindowsPaths = false) and enable_external_completion = true, and have certain folders in your nushell path that i want to complete from. Close to the same solution as without this change?
2. We've had people complain about nushell not completing items in the path. This might make that more difficult. At least the first question is, do you have enable_external_completion enabled or disabled, I guess.
3. A point for it is, I'm not sure how many people care about completing items in your path. I ususally don't use completions like that myself.

I understood your concern, however, I feel like this is more than WSL itself, e.g: regards to the bullet 2, I personally do not want to see any completion outside of nu, and I believe this is not only my preference :), instead, we offer our user an option which they could turn it off if, this should be a legitimate reason.

Also, the default flag value is true, uses won't feel any differences until they really see the slowness(PATH has tons of DIRS) and want to poke around the configuration, find out that config, eventually, turn if off and happy ending :)

If you guys feel like this is not the good change at this moment, I am ok with that decision too :)

[fdncred]

ok. let's try it out. thanks